The Strength of DifferenceRevised Version
by SynsOrion
Summary: If you have read my first story called 'The Strength of Difference' then read the updated and revised version. ^_^


The Strength of Difference

Tenshi Hane yawned softly as she sat up in bed.  She stretched slightly then yawned again.  She'd put off getting out of bed long enough.  She climbed out of bed, still in her nightie and, walking over to the mirror looked at her disarray of hair.  She picked up her brush and pulled it through her hair then winced hard, dropping the brush.  She'd hit something on her back under her hair.

          Reaching a hand back she felt and found something that was like bone but was covered in something soft, like feathers.  She pulled at it and with another wince plucked some of what ever covered it off.

          "Feathers?!" Her eyes were wide.  "No…  That's not right!"  *She pulled her hair out of the way and turned so she could see her back and there, mocking her and all reason were a pair of wings.

          She swiftly braided her hair then quickly dressed, her mind racing, mostly with questions about why and how before she pulled a baggy sweater over top of herself and her school uniform to cover her wings and left her room.

          She couldn't let anyone think anything out of the ordinary.  She had to meet Soyokaze on time, had to go to school.  Everyone had to think that things were normal.

She lived in a city called Daru.  It wasn't a big city, but a fairly large size.  There were villages and towns that surrounded their city, some miles away, yet most could be reached by use of train.  There were other cities but they took longer to get to, as they were further away.  They had telephones, electricity, running water but there were no guns, no computers.  Swords were used for the most part, or other things, scythes, staves and such like.

          Hane was walking slowly in the direction of her school, her mind still racked with questions about how she had just sprouted wings over night.  It just wasn't normal, it wasn't right, and she didn't want to know how others would react if they found out about this.

          "Hey!!  Are you just gonna walk right past me and not even say hi? I thought we were gonna walk together!!" an all to happy voice called from behind her.

          Hane turned to see her friend, Soyokaze whom she had walked past without even realizing it was waving at her, that ever-present grin upon her features.  She smiled, glad for having her as a friend, glad for the brightness that she presented to her even with this 'small' dilemma that she was now in.

          She waited for her friend to catch up to her, her problem now forgotten as Soyokaze cheered her with her bright mood and made her laugh as they walked.

The bell had rang and it was time for class, or it would have been for Hane had the class bully not trapped her on the school grounds.  She was pressed back against the brickwork of the main building as she clutched her brown lunch bag close to her chest.  Her backpack was against a tree a little ways over untouched and unnoticed by the boy that leered at her; obviously delighted by the fear he could feel coming from her.

          "Come on, Hane.  What've you got to eat for me, eh?" his lips curled into a half smirk as he tried to pull the lunch bag away from her.

          She clutched it close and slipped under his arm so that she was no longer pinned against the wall.  "Leave me alone, Zankoku!"

          His eyes narrowed as he pursued her. "Get back over here!!"  His voice was angry, annoyed that she wasn't doing what he wished her to do.  He grabbed at her shirt and gripped, unknown to him, one of her wings.

          She let out a cry and pulled swiftly away from him.  There were tears in her eyes.  She hadn't realized that wings were so sensitive and he had grabbed it hard to.  It felt bruised.  She watched him and backed away holding her lunch close like it was some teddy bear that could save her from any danger she faced.

          "What the hell was that?!" he demanded angrily as he grabbed her arm.  She tried to pull away and he twisted hard causing her to let out another cry of pain.

          "Please! Leave me alone!"  He twisted harder and she let out a whimper as if begging him to quit.

          Then, before she could realize what was happening he had ripped the back of the sweater she had been wearing and, as it gaped open, she was released by him and, off balance fell to the ground.

          "What the hell are you…?!"  She would have been glad any other time to see the fear that had welled up in his eyes but not now.  The look he was giving her as he slowly backed from where she'd landed told her all to well that the things upon her back made her something unreal, something that shouldn't exist except in stories; a freak.

          She shifted to her feet and, grabbing her backpack, started running; away from everything, her problems, Zankoku, even Soyokaze.

          Tears ran from her eyes.  She didn't want to leave, but she had to.  She couldn't live here.  She didn't want everyone to see what she was.  But she didn't want to leave her friend, or her mother.  Yet, she was going to.

Hane found herself at the train station.  It had seemed the most obvious place to go.  It was cheap and it'd get her away from everything here, even the things that she didn't want to leave.

          She had drawn an extra baggy sweater over her wings and her backpack, stuffed now with what she'd chosen to bring with herself, hung from one shoulder.  Her wings had gotten bigger leaving her little choice as to how to wear the backpack.  She would call her mother and Soyokaze later when she found somewhere to stay.

Hane was slumped in her train seat, her shoulder against the window and her legs drawn up next to herself on the seat.  The position made her feel safer somehow.  Her backpack was in the seat next to her.

          Her eyes were half closed, her brow creased from trying to thing about what to do, where to go now.  She sighed softly, Soyokaze would still be in class and somehow she wished she could be there as well.

          "Excuse me, do you mind if I sit here?  All the other seats are taken or have something in them.  No one will let me sit."  The voice brought her out of her thoughts and back to reality.  She said nothing to him as she shifted in her seat and brought her backpack to her lap; hugging it lightly to get what comfort she could from the inanimate object.

          He took a seat and folded his hands in his lap.  His eyes stayed on his hands as if he was worried he'd do something wrong by moving and so refrained from doing anything at all.  He was wearing a bandanna that covered the lower half of his face, black sunglasses, and a hat.

          Her eyes narrowed for a moment.  His skin seemed to be an off color, a greenish.  She shrugged then.  He wasn't bothering her, why should she worry about him?

          She rubbed at her arm almost forgetting what had happened before she winced as her hand came in contact with the bruise that Zankoku had made.  It was actually, now that she thought about it, throbbing dully.

          He noticed her wince. "Are you alright?"  There was actually slight worry in his voice as he spoke.

          "My arm hurts a little, that's all," she stated pulling her sleeve up so he could see her arm.  The wound had swelled slightly and was already discolored.  He pulled his glasses off to get a better look then glanced up at her.

          "Who did that to you?"

          She stared, unable to help herself.  His skin was a light gray-green had gray-blue scales that were about his eyes and eyebrows.  His hair was white and short; it came to the nape of his neck.  "I…a…uh…guy at my school twisted it."

          His eyes shifted almost as if he'd been struck before he slipped his glasses back on and looked down at his lap.  "I'm…sorry I didn't mean to frighten you."

          "You just surprised me was all." She looked at her fingers, which she twiddled before herself as she tried to think of something to say.  "I'm Tenshi Hane."

          "My real name is Osoroshii Zasshu."  It was the name that his parents had been so 'kind' to bestow upon him at birth; the one that meant horrible mixed breed.  "But I'd rather you called me Suteru."  Yes, this name fit him better.  It meant reject which seemed to fit him better, considering.

          She sat for a moment, her eyes looking out the window as she pulled her sleeve up and gave her backpack a light half squeeze.  "Suteru."  He looked up at her.  "Where are you getting off?'

          "Murdory Village."

          She gave him a half smile.  "I am too."  She shifted slightly, uncomfortably and leaned a little forward.  Her wings had grown and the tips were peeking out the bottom of her sweater.  She sighed softly at the uncomfortable position she had to sit in and rested her head on her backpack.

          He glanced over at her.  "You haven't had wings for very long, have you?"  He lightly touched the back of her shirt and ran his fingers over the side of one of her wings.

          "Ah…" She gasped softly as he withdrew his hand and half smiled under his bandanna though she could see the curved line that his lips made under the fabric.  "H--how did you know?"

          "You can tell from the shape of the back of your sweater if you know what might be under it.  Wings are also sensitive but you can learn to control that with time, which you haven't had yet so they must be new."

          The announcement came over the intercom that they were soon to be arriving in Murdory Village.  After the train was felt slowing then jarred slightly as it pulled to a stop.

          They both stood, Hane slipped her backpack onto one shoulder then sighed softly slipped it back off, and pulled her sweater off to reveal a tank top that she'd gotten on over her wings before they'd grown so much.

Suteru lead Hane into the only inn that Murdory Village contained.  He'd shed his bandanna and glasses, which had revealed more scales that were upon his chin and jawbone.  He held the door for her before walking over to the desk.  "I'd like a room, please."

          The woman at the counter opened a ledger before herself and was looking through a list before she looked up and every thing seemed to fall apart from there.  "I'm sorry!" Her eyes were wide and held a slight terror in them.  "There are no rooms available."

          His eyes tightened in rage, and a soft growl came from his throat.  Hane stepped up next to him and gave him a look that seemed to say, 'Don't worry, I'll fix everything.'

          "Excuse me, miss?"  The woman looked up at her.  Hane's wings were half out and easily seen behind her, the white-blue feathers shimmering slightly in the dim lamp light.  "Can I have a room?"

          The woman couldn't seem to take her eyes from Hane's wings.  She sounded as if she was in a trance when she spoke, "Angel…yes, I have a room for you."

          Hane slipped her backpack to the counter. "How much for a double?" she questioned as she opened the front pocket and took out a pouch that contained her money.

          "I--It's free, for you."  The woman handed her a key and pointed down the hall.  "Number seven, angel.  Down the hall, to your left."  Hane gave her a grateful smile as she picked her pack back up and started down the hall that the woman had pointed to, key in hand.

          Suteru gave her a smirk a gleam of amusement in his eyes.  "You have an angel and a demon staying the night.  Don't worry, she won't let me get out of hand, she is an angel after all."  He chuckled softly and followed after Hane.

          Hane had the door open and she was on one of the beds, her pack was off to the side.  Her wings were half out as she lay on her stomach, one of the inn pillows in her arms and clutched to her chest.  "You're not a demon, you just said that because that woman was afraid of you." She stated softly without looking up at him.

          He sat down on her bed and lightly ran a finger over her spine his voice a light whisper as he spoke.  "You never know, perhaps I am a demon.  Perhaps I'll wait till you're sleeping and slip over to your bed in the night--"

"Suteru!!" She hit him hard with the pillow and he fell off the bed onto his back with a small grunt.  She looked down at him from the bed with a grin on her face.  "You'd never do that!"

          He shifted up onto the other bed and looked over at her a half smile on his lips as if trying to figure this girl out.  "You're right, I wouldn't but how can you be so sure?"

          She leaned back and hugged the pillow once more.  "You can't expect a person to act the way they look.  You look like a demon; I know you're not.  You were worried on the train when you knew I was hurt.  You have a kind heart, Suteru."

          He smiled though his eyes were sad.  "I wish everyone would thing that way."

          She nodded in agreement with him as she shifted and laid back on her stomach her wings obviously hindering from lying on her back as she let out a yawn.  "I think it's time for sleep."  She closed her eyes; her head was turned to face him though her eyes were closed.

          He took his hat off and tossed it to the floor before lay down on his back on the bed and yawned as well.  "That's a very good idea."

Hane's eyes snapped open.  She was breathing hard and sweat covered her face.  Her eyes, if the room had been lit, would have been filled with terror.  "I--it was j--just…a dream?" she questioned.  She was barely able to gasp the words out as she shifted to a sitting position and drew her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly.  "Just a dream."  It had been so vivid though, so real: her mother and Soyokaze…they had been…

          She closed her eyes, not wanting to think about it further.  "Just…a dream," she repeated as if trying to convince herself that what she said was true.

          Suteru watched her through half closed eyes.  She shouldn't feel pain, not someone like her.  Someone unfeeling, cold, closed minded, should feel pain.  He vowed then, as he watched her curl into a ball, that he'd do his best to protect her.  She had saved him; he was indebted to her.  If he had not sat down by her on that train, he would have gotten off here, in this same village, but he wouldn't have been alive now to lie on this bed like he was.

          He watched her as she calmed slightly and uncurled a little on her bed, her figure lit with a light grayness that filtered through the window from the moon outside.  Her wings were half out and the tips were resting lightly upon the floor.  He only let himself close his eyes when he heard her begin to faintly snore.

Suteru tried to inhale but couldn't, not through his nose.  His eyes opened wide, slight fear in them, as he took in a sharp breath though his mouth before the panic left at the sight of Hane who was holding his nose pinched shut and looking down at him with a grin before she let go.  "I hope you slept well." Her wings were slightly out at her back as she watched him shift into a sitting position.

          "Yes."  He looked at her, his eyes slightly worried.  "I know you didn't though."

          Her expression fell from her face and her wings actually seemed to droop slightly.  "You…were awake?"

          He gave her a small nod.  "Can you tell me what happened in your dream?"  She shook her head and looked at the floor.  He stood and gently touched her shoulder.  "Angel, any time you need me, I'll protect you in anyway that I am able.  I promise."  He gave her a smile and she nodded slowly in understanding.

          Suteru dismissed the problem quickly after that with the mention of food, which she at once agreed to.

Hane was backing out of the restaurant the owner was yelling angrily at both her and Suteru.  She tripped backward and fell letting out a soft cry of pain then curled up on the ground in a ball, her wings covering her.  Though it could not be seen it was obvious that she was crying.

          Suteru had followed her out, his eyes held rage and the sparkled strangely glowing almost with a slight red tint to them.  "You bastard!!  How dare you do that to her for looking a way she can't help!!  Come out here and fight me!  Let's see who wins!"  His eyes blazed.

          The owner, a slightly stocky man wearing a white apron glared at Suteru.  "We don't serve freaks!"

          Suteru's eyes got wide then went hard as ice his voice edged and cold.  "Call me a freak all you want, but don't you 'dare' call her one."  He indicated Hane and it became obvious to the owner that she was crying from what he'd said.  He looked taken aback and almost went out to try to help her but the look in Suteru's eyes convinced him otherwise and he went slowly back into the restaurant closing the door behind himself.

          Suteru knelt down next to her.  "Hane…?  Come on, let's try somewhere else."

          "But…what did I do?"

          "Nothing.  You did nothing wrong, all right?  You have to get used to it…this will happen a lot."  He coaxed her out of her wings and drew her into his arms, giving her a tight hug.  "Now, would you like to think about trying somewhere else perhaps?"

          She nodded slowly as she let out a soft sigh.  "All right."

Hane was seated in the inn looking out the window, her eyes were half closed and she seemed as though she didn't care really about what she was looking at.  Suteru was seated on his bed behind her, reading a book that she'd had in her backpack.

          "I think I wanna leave here."  She let out a soft sigh as she spoke her thoughts aloud.

          He looked up at her back and her drooping white wings.  "Because everyone is mean?"  She gave a nod.  "You don't realize how lucky we are that you've gotten us this room, and for free, no less.  It's hard to earn money when--" he lightly touched the scales that were upon his chin, "--You look like this.  We should stay here for another night."

          She was silent for a moment, thinking what he'd said over before she gave a slow nod.  "I should call my mother then, and Soyokaze.  Let them know where I am and tell them not to worry."  She stood and, after retrieving money from her backpack, she slipped from the room to use the phone in the lobby.

          Hane's mother answered the phone.  "Hello, who is this?" the voice at the other end which spoke into Hane's ear questioned.

          "It's me, mother.  Hane.  Don't you recognize my voice?"

          "Hane!  I've been half out of my mind worrying about you!  Where the hell are you?!  Are you alright?!"  The tone was demanding, angry, and worried all at the same time.

          "I'm fine mother.  I'm in Murdory Village, I took the train."

          "That's a long way's away!" now the voice was irate.  "I want you to come home 'now'!"

          "Mother, I can't.  I'm sorry.  I'll be fine though, don't worry, alright?  I'll try to call again later if I can.  Bye."  She hung up, not giving her mother the chance to reply.  She then called her friend.

          "Hello?  Anyone there?"  Hane smiled at the still cheerful voice.

          "Hey, Soyokaze, guess who."

          "Hane!!  Where have you been?  I keep checking back at your mother's trying to find you." She laughed.  "She probably thinks she has another kid now or something."

          "I'm not in town right now.  I can't come back, I have a little problem."  Hane spoke softly to her friend, knowing she could trust her not to tell anyone.

          "Hane," she laughed.  "We were told what to do for that in class.  They have to have a general store there were you can buy some--" Hane chuckled, cutting her off.

          "That's not what I meant.  I have wings.  They're white, look like an angel's wings almost.  Oh, before you ask, no; I haven't flown with them yet."

          "So, did you take the train?"  Hane made a positive sound.  "Ah.  Are you with anyone?"  She coughed softly and there was an awkward pause on her end telling her friend the truth all to well by the silence.  She giggled.  "Is he cute?  What's his name?"

          She turned bright red as she held the phone to her ear.  "H--his name's Suteru.  Yeah…well, I think he's cute except most people I'm sure don't.  But," she played lightly with her hair as she thought.  "He's a wonderful guy…"

          "Hane's falling in love, Hane's falling in love!"

          "Hey! Am not!" Though she thought that it just might be true.

          "Well, you should come back here soon.  Zankoku only has me to pick on now but he's been telling anyone who'll listen that you have wings and that's why you haven't been in school, everyone's talking about it and asking me questions, of course because I'm your best friend."

          "I can't come back, not yet."  There was a soft sigh.  "Please don't tell anyone I have wings?"

          Soyokaze laughed.  "Or that you're with a cute guy!"  Hane could tell she was grinning on the other end of the line.  "Of course I won't.  I don't see the problem with you having wings either.  I think it's cool."

          "Thanks," she smiled; her friend could always cheer her up.  "I'll talk to you later, alright? Bye."

          "Bye, Hane!  Have fun with Suteru!"  There was a giggle then a click as Soyokaze hung up the phone.

          "Done?"

          Hane almost jumped out of her skin, she could feel all her feathers prickling slightly in surprise as she turned around to look at Suteru, her cheeks still red.  "How long where…you standing there?"

          He let a grin touch his lips as he watched her.  She was beautiful, standing there, blushing her wings bent nervously behind herself.  "Long enough to know you were talking about me."

          She turned away from the phone and moved back slightly, as if frightened by the fact that he knew she liked him then turned and started back towards the room.

          He smiled.  She was so cute, so perfect and pure.  She was wonderful.  He fallowed after her, knowing she wouldn't be able to get in without the key, which was in his possession.


End file.
